Table construction



' eh. 4, 1936. J. K. MITCHELL 2,029,434

TABLE CONSTRUCTION Original Filed Nov. 17, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet l 5/12 .H/IF: 12 2 v 14"' 3 m 32' h Q 3 o HHHHEM I iNVENTOR (fa/7n Kean/9y Mia-be ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 4, 1936 UNITED- stares PATENT QFFICE.

4 Claims. (Cl. 311-408) This invention relates to improvements in tables and moreparticularly to game tables havingremovable playing surfaces.

In. the.use of, incidental mobilia such as game tables an-dthelikeit is often desirable to resurfor Game table.

It is afeature of, novelty of the present inventiontoprovide an improved incidental table havingfolding leg constructions in which a removable panel is provided and fitted with means whereby the surfacings of the table or playing surface may bereadily removed and replaced and the whole securely set in position in the table frame, and fixedly secured thereto forming an integral part of. thetable proper.

Anotherfeature of novelty of the present invention is theprovision of improved panel fasteningmeans, including means for removably securing surfacing members such as silk, cotton, linen, and other fabric table covers and the like.

It, is also a feature of novelty of the present invention to provide improved resilient surfacings associated with, removable panelmembers whereby to, provide an improved playing surface for tables.

Yet another feature of novelty of the present invention is the provision of an improved incidental table having folding legs in which the table frame, paneland leg constructions are so associated as to mutually support and lock each other in fixed operative relation.

These and other desirable features and advantages of the present invention will be described in the specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, certain preferred embodiments being shown by way of example only, for, since the underlying structural features may be incorporated in other specific table structures it is not intended to be limited to the ones here shown except as such limitations are clearly imposed by the appended claims.

In the drawings like numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views, of which Fig. 1 is a top elevation of an improved incidental table showing the upper portions of the legs in operative position;

Fig. 2is a bottom view of the framework of the structure shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig.2 and showing the table paneling and associated table drawer and locking mechanism therefor;

Fig. 4 is a section taken on line ,4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a detailed, partly broken section of the underside of the table-panelshowing a methodof removably securing the panelsurfacing. in position.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the improvements of the present invention are best described with respect to an incidental table shown therein. This table comprises a frame portion designated generally by the numeral It), a central panel portion designated gen erally by the numeral 20, leg members designated generally by the numeral 3!),and-a drawer member designated generally by the numeral 40.- The frame member lfl may comprise side apron mem- 2O hers l secured to panelstrips l2, defining a cen: tral aperture adapted to receive the paneling, The frame iii may be braced at the corners by flat or arched braces, l3, secured to the undersides of the member l2'in any suitable manner as by means of screws M. The members |3rmay be made of wood or metal and may be centrally tapped as indicated at 15 to receive securing members such as bolts l5 provided with wing nuts H; The frame I0 may have ornamental. corner pieces l8 of any suitable material and construction associated therewith. In addition,the upper surfacesof the members l2 may be formed of heat and fire resistant materials and in a variety of colors.

Table leg socket supporting member 3| may be secured to the under side of the table, frame at the corners thereof as by means of screws 32-, secured to the member. I I. The table leg and associated hinge constructions; have. been shown and claimed in my copending, application, Serial No. 727,870, filed May 28, 1934, issued as Patent No. 2,003,835, June 4, 1935, for Folding leg constructions and will not be described further herein except with respect to the general combinations of parts in which they are associated.

The paneling comprising a body portion 2| over which may be placed a sheet or surfacing 22 of a resilient material such as sponge rubber, cotton, felt, and the like, which may be turned under the edges of the panel and held in gripping relation by the conjoint action or pressure of the inner edges of the table frame members l2 and the inner covering of the panel.

The loose ends may be secured to the panel in members 25, fastened to the member 2|.

V A playing surface 21 of any suitable fabric may be stretched over the resilient surfacing and in turn brought under the edges of the panel and its loose or free ends secured in place by any suitable means such as thumb tacks or push pins 28. The paneling as noted above is adapted to snugly engage or nest in a shoulder or shelf l8a formed on the upper surface of member l2, and to thereby hold the fabric member 2! tightly gripped. The bolt and nut members l6 secure the panel in place on the table frame, being themselves held by the bracing members l3. Any desired amount of tension may be applied by means of the wing nuts I7, and. on tightening up these nuts the panel 2| will be pulled down in position on the shelf [8 of the table frame member l2 thereby assisting in clamping the surfacings 22 and 27 firmly in position. With such construction it will be seen that the table frame and panel playing surface form a rigid immovable unit whose strength is appreciably increased by the mutual coaction of the several parts through the bracing and supporting members l3. In addition the folding leg members are also used in supporting the table structurally as the hinged members 3! being likewise fixedlysecured to the corners of the table frame members aid further in maintaining a rigid assembly;

It will now 'be appreciated that there has been provided an improved incidental or game table having novel paneling adapted to be readily replaced, yet provide a fixed surfacing for a table top. There has further been disclosed a novel method of readily and rigidly securing a removable panel frame or table surfacing to a frame by means of bracing members, preferably bowed or arched, and adapted to receive securing members for the panels, the bracing members being also adapted to brace and support the table frame members proper, whereby to integrally join the frame and panelling in a unitary table top conbeen disclosed and are pointed out in the annexed claims, it will be understood that various omissions, substitutions and changes may be made by those skilled in the art'without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. An improved game table comprising, in combination, a frame having an internal shelf therearound, arched bracing members secured to adjacent frame members and spaced from the corners thereof, a panel member set in the central upper portion of the table frame and forming a playing surface, securing members fastened to the under side of said panel member and adapted to engage the frame bracing members, the said securing members including adjustable fastening means, a resilient cover member disposed over the panel member and underneath the edges thereof and a fabric cover member stretched over the top of the panel member to form a playing surface and folded under and secured to the bottom 'of said panel.

2. An improved game table comprising, in combination, a frame having an internal shelf therearound, arched bracing members secured to ad.- jacent frame members and spaced from the corners thereof, a panel member set in the central upper portion of the table frame and forming a playing surface, securing members fastened to the under side of said panel member and adapted to engage the frame bracing members, the said securing members including adjustable fastening means, a resilient cover member disposed over the panel member and underneath the edges thereof and a fabric cover member stretched over the top of the panel member to form a playing surface and folded under and secured, with a tight frictiongrip, the loose edges of the cover member being secured to the bottom of the said panel.

3. An improved table top construction including a table frame composed of separate top pieces defining a central aperture, arched bracing members secured to adjacent top members and having a major portion of their length extending across the corners of the aperture formed by the' said frame pieces; separate removable panel mem-' bers adapted to fit into the aperture defined by the said frame piece, and means in the said panel members adapted to permit the same to be fixedly secured to the said arched bracing members at the crown of the arch whereby to form a unitary table top.

4. An improved table top construction including a table frame composed of separate top pieces and depending apron members secured to the top pieces, the whole defining a central aperture, arched bracing members secured to adjacent top members and having a major portion of their length extending across the corners of the apertures formed by the said frame pieces, leg supporting and bracing members at the corners of the framework and secured to the said apron members and providing with the said first-named bracing members a two-part strengthening unit for each corner or supporting section of the table member, separate removable panel member adapted to fit into the aperture defined by the said frame pieces, and means in the said panel member adapted to permit the same to be fixedly JOHN KEARSLEY MITCHELL. 

